> >It does seem rather odd that if Northants supplies copies, Bucks doesn't.. No, this stems from a complicated leasing arrangement which Northants had for a photocopier, many years ago. They had to pay x (large) pounds a month for a set maximum quota whether they used the copier or not, so they made sure they did take up the full quota, by copying all the BTs, systematically. Result was good for them =- they got the value, and very good for researchers, because there were sets of copies of every parish sitting on a shelf, at hand. Presumably they are now duplicating and selling these copies. The copier company withdrew the arrangement. Bucks didn't use the same system - and there is a general Archive rule that actual parchment and any bound volumes cannot be copied (using normal copiers) - so while you vould probably arrange for a film to be made, at serious cost, there will not be photocopies now. Our own (BGS) transcribed registers are normally carefully checked - I did most of the older period ones and have checked personally some of the later ones. Where copies are unchecked, we usually say so. I do know that some other transcriptions have been issued where there are gaps and omissions. If you can borrow that car again and come down to Aylesbury for our Family History Feast on April 23, you will be able to see all the livrary transcriptions. -- Eve McLaughlin Author of the McLaughlin Guides for family historians Secretary Bucks Genealogical Society

Thanks Eve for explaining why Northants RO has all those fab photocopies on their shelves - generally I find them far easier on the old eyes than fiche or film. However, Northants RO also offers a fiche copying service - £2 per fiche. It costs a lot for a whole parish - from, say, 1500s to 1900s it could be about £50, but one can buy just two or three at a time, good when one's on a budget. Since Northants do this, I thought it odd that Bucks did not. Maybe it's because Northants have copied their registers onto fiche in the first place and Bucks have used film, so for Bucks to put them all onto fiche as well would be prohibitive. I'm only guessing here but how I wish they could make fiche copies available. As I've said in another message, it looks like the 'trustworthy' transcriptions you mention are going to be the only option and the 'primary source' research we're exhorted to do is nigh impossible for many. Thanks again Celia In Chesterfield -----Original Message----- From: Eve McLaughlin [mailto:eve@varneys.demon.co.uk] Sent: 15 April 2005 12:24 To: Celia Renshaw Cc: BUCKS-L@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [BKM] Parish registers on fiche > >It does seem rather odd that if Northants supplies copies, Bucks doesn't.. No, this stems from a complicated leasing arrangement which Northants had for a photocopier, many years ago. They had to pay x (large) pounds a month for a set maximum quota whether they used the copier or not, so they made sure they did take up the full quota, by copying all the BTs, systematically. Result was good for them =- they got the value, and very good for researchers, because there were sets of copies of every parish sitting on a shelf, at hand. Presumably they are now duplicating and selling these copies. The copier company withdrew the arrangement. Bucks didn't use the same system - and there is a general Archive rule that actual parchment and any bound volumes cannot be copied (using normal copiers) - so while you vould probably arrange for a film to be made, at serious cost, there will not be photocopies now. Our own (BGS) transcribed registers are normally carefully checked - I did most of the older period ones and have checked personally some of the later ones. Where copies are unchecked, we usually say so. I do know that some other transcriptions have been issued where there are gaps and omissions. If you can borrow that car again and come down to Aylesbury for our Family History Feast on April 23, you will be able to see all the livrary transcriptions. -- Eve McLaughlin Author of the McLaughlin Guides for family historians Secretary Bucks Genealogical Society

Celia, I may be misunderstanding, but in reading your messages I wonder if the difference between Northants and Bucks has more to do with restrictions which preclude duplication of the fiche than it does with the cost associated with duplicating a roll of microfilm. The cost of purchasing a duplicate roll of microfilm (while higher than purchasing a few fiche) shouldn't approach the usual definition of exorbitant. I've not purchased a duplicate roll of film in the UK, but I've usually paid somewhere between $8 to $12 USD per roll when purchasing from archives and libraries in the U.S. By contrast, the cost of putting the film on a reader-printer and making "paper photocopies" of an entire roll, paying by the printed sheet, would approach the astronomical (by my budget anyway). ;-) But the same could be said for doing this same thing with a number of microfiche. However, I ran into what seems to be a similar situation concerning Cornwall Illogan and Nottingham St. Mary's. You can view the images of the original registers (on fiche, I believe) at the CRO or Notts archives, but they do not allow the sale of duplicates of those fiche. I think it is even necessary to obtain specific permission to be allowed to produce transcriptions of the registers (not so much as regards each particular entry, as to transcribe the full, or perhaps some great segment). As best I've been able to ascertain, the nature and reasons for the restrictions seem to differ from one county records/diocesan archives to the next, with some (such as Northants) seeming not to have restrictions. In the case of Illogan and Notts St. Mary's, I believe the restrictions come from the church (although I'm not certain whether from the parish level or the diocese). Also, in some cases there seem to be arrangements or agreements between the records/archives office and the local FHS, but I am not personally familiar with any of those and such arrangements might also differ from place to place. Eve likely would know more about whether the Bucks FHS or BucksGS has any such particular arrangement. I don't know if any of this helps, or simply serves to further muddy the waters. But I agree it is an undesirable situation for researchers. -Sandy > On Saturday, April 16, 2005, at 07:28 AM, Celia Renshaw wrote: > However, Northants RO also offers a fiche copying service - £2 per > fiche. > It costs a lot for a whole parish - from, say, 1500s to 1900s it could > be > about £50, but one can buy just two or three at a time, good when one's > on a > budget. Since Northants do this, I thought it odd that Bucks did not. > Maybe it's because Northants have copied their registers onto fiche in > the > first place and Bucks have used film, so for Bucks to put them all onto > fiche as well would be prohibitive. I'm only guessing here but how I > wish > they could make fiche copies available. As I've said in another > message, it > looks like the 'trustworthy' transcriptions you mention are going to be > the > only option and the 'primary source' research we're exhorted to do is > nigh > impossible for many. > > Thanks again > Celia > In Chesterfield > > -----Original Message----- > From: Eve McLaughlin [mailto:eve@varneys.demon.co.uk] > Sent: 15 April 2005 12:24 > To: Celia Renshaw > Cc: BUCKS-L@rootsweb.com > Subject: Re: [BKM] Parish registers on fiche > > >> >> It does seem rather odd that if Northants supplies copies, Bucks >> doesn't.. > > No, this stems from a complicated leasing arrangement which Northants > had for a photocopier, many years ago. They had to pay x (large) pounds > a month for a set maximum quota whether they used the copier or not, so > they made sure they did take up the full quota, by copying all the BTs, > systematically. > Result was good for them =- they got the value, and very good for > researchers, because there were sets of copies of every parish sitting > on a shelf, at hand. Presumably they are now duplicating and selling > these copies. The copier company withdrew the arrangement. > Bucks didn't use the same system - and there is a general Archive rule > that actual parchment and any bound volumes cannot be copied (using > normal copiers) > - so while you vould probably arrange for a film to be made, at serious > cost, there will not be photocopies now. > Our own (BGS) transcribed registers are normally carefully checked - I > did most of the older period ones and have checked personally some of > the later ones. Where copies are unchecked, we usually say so. I do know > that some other transcriptions have been issued where there are gaps and > omissions. > If you can borrow that car again and come down to Aylesbury for our > Family History Feast on April 23, you will be able to see all the > livrary transcriptions. > > -- > Eve McLaughlin > > Author of the McLaughlin Guides for family historians > Secretary Bucks Genealogical Society > > > > > ==== BUCKS Mailing List ==== > To search the BUCKS list message archives, go to: > http://listsearches.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/listsearch.pl?list=BUCKS >